Flying beauties of Himachal Pradesh

It is a small bird about 18cm in size with a White crown, black wings and rusty under parts. The tail is rusty with black tip. The bird is usually found on rocks in mountain streams and rivers. In summers it can be seen between altitudes of 1500m to 5000m. Whereas in winters it descends down to foothills and plains.

It is a small(about 12cm in size) active bird with grayish head, neck and breast.With greenish upperparts and bright yellow under parts both the sexes look similar. Abundant in forests and open wooded areas it breeds at an altitude of about 1200-2500m and can be seen in lower areas as well during winters. In Himalayas it is generally a short distance altitudinal migrant. The bird is very restless and can be seen turning and twisting in the air after insects and flies.

Ultramarine flycatcher is a beautiful bird(about 11cm in size) with male having deep blue upper parts. The sides of the head and neck are also deep blue with white eyebrow. A prominent white patch runs from centre of throat, through breast to belly. Female has grayish upperparts with blackish coloured edge of the tail. Sides of the neck and the breast are grayish white in colour. Occurring at an altitudinal range of about 1500-3200m, the bird keeps largely to low trees and bushes in open forests, bushy areas, grooves and gardens.

Spotted dove(about 30cm) is a long tailed slim bird with white s potted, pinkish and grey upperparts. The head and underparts are pinkish with a greyish shade on the face and lower portion of the belly. Both the sexes are similar and the black and white patchy (chess board type) band on the hind neck is the unique distinguishing feature of the bird. The legs are reddish in colour. It is quite common in open well wooded forests,cultivations and near habitations as well. Often seen alone or in pairs the spotted dove has got a very swift and strong flight like other doves.

About 10 cm in size the male has a metallic purple, coloured body. The female has got light yellowish underparts and the upper parts are dark greyish in colour. In non-breeding plumage the male is similar to the female but the wings are comparatively dark and a broad black stripe runs down middle of the breast. The bird is quite common in open forests and gardens and can be seen upto an altitude of about 1600 mtrs in Himalayas. It is fond of the flower nectar but is also dependent on insects.Its slender curved bill is adapted for probing flower tubes and sucking the nectar. This way the bird helps a great deal in cross-polination.

About 26cms in size the Eurasian Golden Oriole is a bright golden yellow bird with black colour in the wings and the tail. There is a conspicuous black streak through the eye.It nests upto an altitude of about 1800 mtrs during April-July but has been noticed at higher altitudes as well.  Having a very sweet fluit like call the bird is common in  open but well wooded areas. It can be seen on  trees around villages and cultivations The female is comparatively dull and greener with striated/lined underparts.The nest built by the bird is very well woven cup shaped nest hidden by the leaves of the broadleaved trees.

   Black drongo  is a glossy black bird(about 26cm in size) which is very agile, with a long, deeply forked tail. Both the sexes are similar.Being a common bird of the open areas arround cultivations it can be seen on the wires and tree branches looking out for the insects. The Drongo can be seen riding the backs of grazing  cattle, looking forward to catch insects disturbed by the movement of the animals. Fires in the grass patches or the agricultural fields attract a large number of drongos for the want of insects running away from fire.     Drongo is very aggressive towards many birds which are much larger in size. It is known for chasing away birds of prey who try to invade its territory. This is the reason that many smaller birds nest in the well protected neighbourhood of the Black Drongo.